Chapter 5: Assembling the Final Pieces
It had been two months since Chiyo-chan's fortunate recovery from her coma, and she was now walking around on her own, meeting people that she had previously known, and getting reacquainted with pretty much everyone.
Things had started to fall back in place like a perfect puzzle, but even though pieces fit into it, they didn't always connect cleanly; there were always a few small gaps.
The lapses in her memory gave her constant headaches whenever something from her past arose, and some recollections came slowly back to her, seeping themselves into the main part of her brain.
Even though her memory was starting to pull itself together, there was still one major gap that had not been filled, one that a certain tall, black-haired friend in a constant internal battle with her own emotions.
Sakaki found it hard, as they began to grow close once again, to restrain herself. She frequently had the urge to just embrace her friend lovingly and simply hold her, but that would scare her little friend. So, imprisoning everything within, she just stayed by her friend's side and comforted her when needed, shrugging off any animalistic instincts that were clawing at the steadfast wall that was constructed around her heart.
"This is a wonderful place Sakaki! I love the beautiful trees that are all around the place!" Exclaimed her energetic little friend Chiyo-chan.
That day, the whole group decided to take a trip to Sakura Park. They had brought a blanket and a basket in hopes of setting up a picnic, that is, if the weather allowed it.
'We're in luck,' Sakaki thought as she glanced upwards and noting the bright sun happily shining down upon them, 'today is a nice day, despite the early clouds from the advent winter.'
Tomo grinned as she slung her arm around Yomi's shoulders, "I visited the Taiyaki store before we came, and I loaded up on the goods!" she leaned to her side and whispered into her friend's ear, "And I bought a bunch of red bean taiyaki treats for my little Yomi-chan."
She laughed and ran ahead to catch up to Osaka, who was dreamily running around in a swerving path, as if she were doing a slalom downhill. Yomi was glad that she ran ahead because it would have been nearly impossible for her to miss the salient wildfire that seemed to spread across her face.
Sakaki noted the blush and chuckled to herself as she walked over to her embarrassed friend, letting Kagura hold onto the hand-woven basket containing their food. She patted her shoulder, "Hey, what's up? You look like you stayed out in the sun too long and you got badly burnt to a crisp. Did Tomo say something to you?"
Yomi stared at the grass beneath them thoughtfully, suddenly very preoccupied with looking at a little ladybug that was nibbling on a blade of grass.
"Well… Tomo… she kind of… made a statement or a comment that was kind of… it kind of… it gave off a faint glimmer of hope for me. She called me her 'little Yomi-chan,' and I wasn't really prepared for it. Ah, but I'm probably taking it the wrong way… she can't possibly feel the same towards me… right?"
She finally averted her gaze from the ladybug to look at Sakaki, only to be greeted by a warm smile.
"Well, you never know. You should try talking to her about things… if she's really your best friend… she should understand and she'll listen to you. Hmm, well, you can't really tell. She's your friend, and she will never leave you."
Yomi turned her head and watched her carefree friend run around on the grass, and then Tomo stopped. Grass was swaying and the few cherry blossoms that were still drifting in the wind were slowly falling to the ground. The breeze was gently rustling her long black hair.
'She grew her hair out these past few years… it looks nice, but… her short hair was nice too. Definitely a change though.' She sighed inwardly. She caught herself staring at her clumsy, yet lovable friend, when she turned her head and met her gaze. Yomi saw Tomo looking straight at her, and she knew that she was blushing greatly while staring at her, but she couldn't take her eyes away from the mesmerizing orbs.
Tomo smiled sweetly and waved for her to come and join her. Yomi looked at Sakaki, and she nodded with a grin.
"C'mon now, go to her. Maybe you can have a talk with her under that tree over there," she pointed to a secluded yet magnificent tree, "it's the only one in the whole park that has the most flower petals on it, despite the coming winter." Yomi smirked, "As if anything will happen… but I'll go over anyways. Should I keep my hopes up? My heart is beating so quickly right now…"
She inhaled deeply, taking in the bittersweet smells of the semi-living and dying petals mixed with the scent of snow, and ran to join her friend at the top of the hill. Arriving at the top of the hill to her joyous friend, Yomi leaned up against the tree that was growing at the apex.
"Hey Tomo… what's up? Do you need something?" her friend chortled and walked briskly to her friend, giving her an affectionate hug. Yomi felt her chest pounding swiftly, but then, due to the proximity of their bodies, she could feel her friend's heart racing as well.
Encircling her arms around her friend's waist, she closed her eyes at the long awaited feeling, and breathed in the scent of her silky hair. A blush spread across her cheeks, and she tried talking to Tomo without stuttering, well, at least not that much anyways.
"Uh… T-Tomo? Is there someth-thing wrong…? Did I d-do something?" Tomo laughed and tightened the hug.
"No, I just wanted to say…" she trailed off. Yomi withdrew her head and looked at her silent friend, and then she was playfully pulled to the ground, getting tickled on the way down. Tomo attacked her friend with her hands as Yomi desperately tried to push her tickling friend off.
"I got you! How do you like my super tickle attack!?" she giggled and looked into her friend's eyes endearingly. "You should have known something was going to happen, you always know that I do things like this… have you let your guard down my kawaii little Yomi-chan?"
New waves of feelings and longing rushed over her like a tidal wave, and it was now almost too overwhelming. Yomi almost couldn't constrain herself.
'This isn't right though! She doesn't know how I'm truly feeling… To her, this probably means nothing more than just two friends having a fun time, even if it means something deeper to me.' She thought inwardly.
Tomo eased her head to rest on top of Yomi's neck, but her friend wouldn't allow it. She gently slid her friend off her body and let out an exasperated sigh and shook her head furiously.
"I'm sorry Tomo, but I can't do this! To you it may seem like all fun and games… but to me… it… it's…" she stared at the ground in awkwardness, unsure if she should say what was on her mind and in her heart. A silent tear glided down her cheek as she remembered Sakaki's words.
Well, you never know. You should try talking to her about things… if she's really your best friend… she should understand and she'll listen to you. Hmm, well, you can't really tell. She's your friend, and she will never leave you.
She continued to stare downward, and started to speak tentatively, doubt still clinging to her mind, "I… I've always kind of… well… I …errr… well Tomo… I've kind of never really hated you, even though I acted like, and treated you, like you were an idiot. I've kind of… admired you, so to speak, in a different way."
She immediately kicked herself mentally, 'No no no! That wasn't how it was supposed to come out! How stupid can you be?! Oh boy, I've done myself in this time…'
Looking up to see Tomo's reaction, she was kind of taken aback when she saw her friend looking concerned. She put her hand up to her face, and shook her head.
"No… you're feeling alright, that's for sure. Heh, even though I may not be the smartest person in the world, not even Einstein could make heads or tails of what you just said. Speak clearly, and in our common language please."
She grinned, and the radiance it gave off momentarily alleviated the tension and stress that was holding Yomi back, and it gave her the strength to say what she had meant to get out years ago.
"Tomo I… I like you, as more than just a friend, something much more. Words can't quite describe it, and I'll understand if you are… not really… open…" she trailed off, her confidence slipping away as that wide grin melted away from Tomo's face. Her once carefree friend now turned her head away and looked at the ground with a serious expression taking over, her cheeks flushing.
Yomi stared at her, and realized what she thought this meant, and stood up to leave. More silent tears fell to the ground as the torture of rejection struck her through the heart, and she started to walk away, until a hand grabbed her arm.
The sudden warmth caused her to ache for her friend's touch once again, but she knew it couldn't be, so she struggled to get away. Desperately trying to run away from what she so distraughtly desired, the firm grip on her arm restrained her, and like an anchor, held her steadfastly to the ground. "Let me go Tomo! Just let me go away!" she cried.
"Yomi! Don't go! I don't want you to go! I don't want you to leave…!" they both stopped in their tracks. Tomo walked closer to her anguished friend, and held her from behind, bringing their bodies closer.
"I don't ever want you to leave. Yomi, I've been waiting for you to say that for a long time now… You may not believe it, but I really was, so please don't go now that it has happened. I want you to stay with me." Her affectionate hand turned Yomi's head around so that they could face each other and for the first time in a long time, she had something to really smile for.
"You really… mean it?" She looked at her friend's sincere eyes as she nodded, but then she slightly frowned, "then, why did you make fun of me so much?"
Tomo laughed and closed her eyes, "Isn't it obvious?" her remark was met by a sullen glare from Yomi. She chortled and shook her head, "Err, I guess it wasn't then. I used it as kind of… a way to be with you, as odd as it may sound. I think it was my way of always being able to be with you. I really do like you, you know, ever since we met back in grade school."
She smiled, and Yomi turned her body around to return the hug from the front. "Thank you Tomo… for everything." They stood there in the comfort of each other's arms, not caring about the curious stares they were getting from random people who were lounging around in the park.
Sakaki saw the pair and smiled and at the same time thought about what she could do to make the possible relationship between her and Chiyo-chan.
The whole group set down a red blanket at the base of a tree, and then they began to eat and talk about different things. Kagura was laughing at Osaka as she watched her ditsy friend attempt to split her chopsticks evenly.
"GrrrrrrrRAAAAAAH!!!" her lips pursed as she stared in concentration and then actually split them apart cleanly. She smiled in triumph as she held them for all to see. "AHAHAHAHAHA! I have done it!" she exclaimed.
Everyone looked at her, grinned, and then looked inside of the basket to see what treats they had packed for this fine day. Yomi and Tomo strolled over, and an outrageously large smile was mounted on her face. She reached inside and pulled out a red bean taiyaki, with only one calerie, and then she tossed it to Yomi.
She pulled out another one for herself, and then the two walked over to go sit on a bench near a small pond. Sakaki smiled, and then looked at Chiyo-chan. Her little friend was cheerfully unwrapping a sandwich, and she too decided to grabbed one from the basket.
Sakaki stood up and offered her hand to Chiyo-chan, asking if she would like to join her by a familiar tree. Her friend munched pensively on a bite of sandwhich before she accepted the invitation and they stood up, walking over to the designated tree in the distance.
As they were walking, the spot that she had chosen was specifically selected because it held a significant role in the event that led up to the loss of Chiyo-chan's memory.
'We were relaxing under that tree before Tomo and Yomi showed up, and then she ran off to get some taiyaki with Tomo. That happened right before that… horrible accident. The very same vile accident that has been haunting me for the past two or three months now; that… nightmare.' She shuddered and recalled the sight of Chiyo-chan's dead body lying all alone in the middle of the austere darkness.
Arriving at the tree, Sakaki watched her friend to see if she noticed anything, or any memories were coming back to her. They sat in silence, taking slow bites of their sandwich while just enjoying each other's presence. After sitting in peace for a long time, Sakaki began feeling a bit impatient, though she knew she shouldn't.
'Things like this shouldn't be rushed… right? I don't want to hurt her. This is my doing for feeling such stupid things. I must be more… tranquil.' She thought.
Suddenly, her friend dropped her sandwich to the ground, lettuce and round little red things falling to the ground. She seized her head and doubled over, her mouth emitting small little whimpering sounds. Her breathing came in ragged, labored wheezes.
"Aaaah…! Sakaki, my head is hurting! Aaraaah… make it stop…!" Her eyes widened in shock and realization as short fragments of her memory came flooding back to her.
All her tall friend could do was hold her as she cried out. "Shh, shh, it's okay, what's wrong Chiyo-chan? Did you remember something important? What happened?"
Letting her tears subside, she wiped her damp eyes with her arm and took a deep breath of air, "I… remembered the accident. I was walking with Tomo… we were talking about something; someone actually. It was important, but I can't remember it! Then… this car… it came speeding by. We had just gotten the taiyaki, and I wasn't paying attention because I took a bite… and then it hit me, and then chaos… obscurity…darkness."
They held each other for another few minutes, and then she stood up, with Sakaki's helping hand of course. She motioned for Chiyo-chan to follow her. They walked to the edge of the park, and she saw a black motorcycle glinting in the sun. She looked up at her friend, "You rode this over here?!"
Sakaki chuckled, and nodded, "I usually like to drive my white car…" she gazed thoughtfully at her friend, "…but I occasionally like to take my black shadow out for a ride, well, that's what I call it anyways; black shadow. A tad bit redundant for a name, black shadow, heh, since shadows are already normally black. Oh well, that's not the point."
She urged her to walk closer while picking up a helmet and placing it on her head. "Would you care to ride with me?" Her friend gasped, "What! But I don't have a helmet! That's illegal, isn't it?" Sakaki smiled and reached inside of a side pocket, pulling out another spare helmet.
She tossed it to her friend and ran off towards the area where their friends were having their picnic, "I'm going to tell them we're going off for a while and we probably won't be back. I'll see you soon."
Chiyo-chan watched her friend disappear into the distance as her figure made her way towards the small group under the tree. She sighed as she strapped the metallic gray helmet on.
'I can't seem to remember what it was that was so important to me! Something precious is still locked away in my mind, and I can't seem to figure out what it is, and I'm afraid that I might figure it out too late! It's like I have the key, but there's no door in sight, and time seems to be running against me, or something. Oh what could it be?'
She breathed a heavy sigh as her friend came running back with a shining black helmet on. 'My knight in shining armor…' giggled Chiyo-chan. Sakaki looked at her skeptically beneath the dark visor that covered the front of her head covering.
"What's so funny?" she shook her head and waited for her tall friend to mount the bike before stepping up herself. Sakaki smiled underneath her visor, "Hold on tightly." Chiyo-chan wrapped her petite arms around her friend's strong and secure waist as she pressed her body closer, resting her head on her back.
"I trust you with anything." A silent tear slipped down her face as the roar of the engine kicked up, howling to the sky as rubber burned and the cycle shot off onto the near deserted streets.
They shot through the roads like a graceful dragon weaving in and out of the clouds. They were speeding past the blurred surroundings, detached from reality, and as free as the limitless sky above them.
Chiyo-chan held on tightly, enjoying this new feeling, and the warmth that her friend radiated. 'Am I holding on so rigidly because I am frightened… or because this is so exhilarating?'
Her euphoria was short-lived as she felt the ride coming to an end. She reluctantly lifted her head off her friend's back to see what they were stopping at, and she noticed that the sky was a deep shade of red and orange.
"What happened?" Sakaki stopped and parked on a curb and took off her helmet, releasing her long flowing hair that was somehow pinned inside of it. Sweat was forming on her face as she grinned lazily.
"My body got a bit tired. I guess I was riding the bike too hard or something, but we were just kind of cruising around for a few hours. You seemed like you enjoyed it." Sakaki rested her hand on top of her friend's shoulder, and Chiyo-chan was glad that she had the itchy gray helmet on her head; a deep blush covered her face.
Desperate to somehow change the subject and mood, she looked around, "Where are we?" Sakaki turned around and pointed to a room, "This is my apartment complex, and I live other there. I'm inviting you in, and I won't take no for an answer."
Chiyo-chan nodded, took off her helmet, and walked up with her friend. Sakaki stopped suddenly, and her eyes darted to the far right. She stared intently and sadness overtook her eyes, but only for a second.
"What is it? Did you see something?" Her eyes stayed fixed in that direction for a moment longer, and then she continued walking, "No… there's nothing wrong. I just… saw something."
They trekked up the treacherous steps of her apartment complex and arrived at room 176. Walking inside, Chiyo-chan noticed an overabundance of stuffed animals, and a nice warm futon in the middle of the room. There were a few opened tuna cans on the counter, and Maya was resting placidly next to them. They took off their shoes and entered the room.
Sakaki immediately walked to her closet and pulled out a small, nicely polished, brown little box with a lock on it. She picked it up with a grim look in her eyes and she shook her head while placing it on a stand near her futon.
"What is that Sakaki? It looks very important… I mean, it does seem to have a lock on it." Her friend laughed a melancholic harmony and looked at her small friend.
"You can only open it… when the time is right. I feel like it may be coming soon, but you can only open it when it does come. You'll know when the time is right… trust me… you'll know."
Chiyo-chan looked at the enigmatic box and decided against asking anything more about it. She sat down on a pile of stuffed toys, and looked out her window.
"Um… what did you invite me in for? You must have had something on your mind when you asked me, most people usually do."
Sakaki looked at her and a shade of red swept over her cheeks. "Um… I wanted to ask if you wished to go to Fantasy Land with me tomorrow," She looked distantly at her ceiling and her expression seemed almost unreadable, "something happened the last time. Or should I say, something didn't happen, it really depends on how you see it. I think… that might be where we can find your last memory."
Chiyo-chan nodded, "If that's where you think I might be able to remember anything, then I will go with you, and…" she scooted closer to her friend and placed a small kiss on her cheek, resulting in an extremely embarrassed Sakaki, "…thank you for everything you have done. You are more than just a great friend, you're something else."
She hopped up and put her shoes on. "Bye." With no more than a giggle, she bounced out the front door and closed it behind her.
Poor Sakaki lay helpless to her bursting feelings as she felt her cheek, suddenly very soft from the touch of her heavenly lips.
"I… am very much looking forward to tomorrow."
Author's Notes
Eh, sorry for the kind of short chapter, I guess you could call it my transition chapter for the conclusion to this… well, kind of short story. I have to go back to school in less than three weeks, so I won't have as much time to write anymore, due to stupid advanced classes and their blasted homework and studying demands. Yeah, well, hope you're enjoying it so far.
Special thanks to Akitoko and Kamehameha for continuing to read this story and their comments! Comments keep writers writing, and that's the best thing! Yay! O.o I should go to sleep now.